Medical Council launches public consultation on new draft Maintenance of Professional Competence Rules and Guidelines

Thursday 26th January 2023:  The Medical Council has today launched a public consultation on new draft Maintenance of Professional Competence Rules and accompanying Guidelines for doctors’ maintenance of professional competence requirements in Ireland.

Maintenance of Professional Competence is the formal way by which doctors record their continuing professional development throughout their medical career.

The current Maintenance of Professional Competence Framework Model has been in operation since 2011. Over the last number of years, several processes pointed to the need to strengthen the Maintenance of Professional Competence Framework to increase its relevance and usefulness for doctors.

The Medical Council has developed new draft Rules which provide information on doctors’ and Scheme Operator’s obligations under a new strengthened Maintenance of Professional Competence Framework. Alongside this, a set of draft Guidelines were developed to further expand on the obligations contained in the draft Rules and to act as an accompanying document.

The public consultation will enable the Medical Council to obtain a broad range of feedback from individuals and organisations on the draft Rules and Guidelines which will inform the finalised versions of the documents.

Dr Suzanne Crowe, President of the Medical Council said:

“ The Medical Council, as the regulatory body for doctors, has a statutory role in protecting the public by promoting the highest professional standards amongst doctors practising in Ireland. The path to life-long learning starts for a doctor in medical school, and continues until they retire, all part of the continuum of medical education.

Engaging in lifelong learning helps improve the safety and quality of care provided for patients and the public. Ensuring doctors maintain their Professional Competence is an essential element in allowing the Medical Council to safeguard the public, by verifying the quality of the doctor’s competence through the new draft Rules and Guidelines. ”

Jantze Cotter, Director of Professional Competence, Research and Ethics in the Medical Council said:

“The new draft Maintenance of Professional Competence requirements are not entirely different to what is already in place. However changes made to the Maintenance of Professional Competence Rules and associated Guidelines will now bring these in line with best practice.

This consultation will be an important process to collect feedback provided by stakeholders, grounding the Framework in experience and practice. Stakeholder input and collaboration is an important aspect in developing new draft Maintenance of Professional Competence Rules and Guidelines, taking into consideration the impacts on the wider health ecosystem”

The consultation documents are available here. This consultation closes on Thursday, 16th February 2023.